Nordiques Minister Eric Girard will be in New York in November and plans to meet with the commissioner of the National Hockey League (NHL) to discuss possible expansion and the possibility of a professional team returning to Quebec .
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In an impromptu press conference Thursday outside Quebec City Hall, accompanied by Mayor Bruno Marchand, Finance Minister Eric Girard spoke at length about his desire to show the NHL that the capital has “changed” and that it is a city of choice for a professional ice hockey team.
He also plans to meet again with Commissioner Gary Bettman during his next visit to New York next month. “When I go to New York and Mr. Bettman is in New York, I take the opportunity to say hello and remind him that Quebec is a dynamic city with infrastructure.”
His next trip will be for investor relations and the Bloomberg conference in November. “It is certain that I will be happy to meet him if he is available on the same dates as me.”
“Very nice”
Mr Girard described the character as “very likeable” and recalled that Commissioner Bettman “mentioned that enlargement is possible in the medium term.” I have heard Quebec City as a possible candidate, so I think this is all positive. First there must be an expansion, then there must be a competitive application and there will be a process. We need a long-term vision in these matters.”
Mr. Girard recalls Quebec’s “assets”: fans, history, major league infrastructure and “extremely solid” large companies.
Pepsi Coliseum
In addition, the City of Quebec awarded a $61,000 direct contract for the lighting and public utilities component of the Colisée Pepsi demolition file. The councilor Mélissa Coulombe-Leduc assured that this was not done with a view to demolishing the building, clarifying that these were analyzes and the file was still being examined.
For opposition leader Claude Villeneuve, the Marchand government lacks transparency on this issue. “I think it is premature to examine the demolition of the Colosseum before we have considered the alternative use of this site. We asked questions about it several times. It is time for the government to tell us what its intentions are.”
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